CHOOSING A MAGAZINE

I went into my local Post Office yesterday morning to buy a Magazine for a friend. As I was browsing through them I could hear two women chatting about so many to choose from. I spied one lady who I thought I recognised, going up to her I said, "excuse me, but you're Kate's mother I do believe"?. "No sorry, you must have me mixed up with someone else, funny how some people look alike". She then went on to say, "I have come in to buy my favourite Country Living Magazine, oh I do like them, deliciously filled with so many gorgeous things, and I like the continuity of the editions". I replied, " I used to have that one, but so many advertisements in them now". I went on to say about the Columnist Competition, but did not say who I was. "Oh, she said, I dont know too much about that at all, wanting to quickly rush to the counter to pay for it.

Very strange I thought considering she takes the Country Living every month, I wonder - you dont think she is the DARKHORSE one do you?

The picture is titled FIRST LOVE and is by the Artist, JIM DALY.

Camilla.x

Thank You

Thank you so much for a great party Dear Westerwitch, and Happysnaper, so too Dear Lixtroll and Peat. Not forgetting all the help given by all other admin.

It is incredible how we have grown here amongst a wonderful circle of friends, and although we all have our own daily lives to be amongst our family, it is nice to know that out there we are all supporting one another one way or another, even if it be in cyber-space.

Camilla.x

Royal Albert Hall

Testing, Testing!

Royal Albert Hall

THE PROMS

I watched the Proms this evening from The Royal Albert Hall, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Paul Watkins played Cello for Elgar's Cello Concerto, what a beautiful piece of music, absolutely took my breath away. It marks the 150th Anniversary of the composer's birth. I agree with what the BBC Commentator said, Paul Watkins is one of the best Cellist's in the land. He played Elgar's piece magnificently, he also won the Lead Conductor, and is a gifted Piano Player.

Another favourite, Enigma Variations, which captures the sense of lonliness of the Artist. The middle section of this theme has a good basis for the variations, because of it's shape, is so simple and so clear. It has a puzzle about the Theme - a secret to the Theme, an Enigma.

Next - Beethoven's 9th Choral Symphony, quite an unstable piece, and was Beethoven's first performance in Vienna. It is quite a long piece, almost twenty-five minutes in all, but wonderful all the same, accompanied by the Mass Choir of Symphony Chorus.

Can one imagine not having music, to think that these great composer's in their time, are still being listened to today, ah, what gifts. I am looing forward to Shakespeare's Macbeth from Glyndbourne, and W.H.Auden's Anniversary, another literary celebration.

I came home from my Community rounds this afternon feeling quite exhausted, (must be my age!). I walked my two dogs over the fields, a pleasant warm July evening and the big vast Norfolk sky, looking out to me. Home again, I cooked a lovely Chicken Casserole which went down a treat, not forgetting some of the Beaujolaise. Then I fell into the Chesterfield, dogs laying beside me, grateful after their long walk and doggie dinners. I listened to The Proms and I was carried away into this beautiful luxurious sound of music, oh I wish I could play the Violin or Cello.

I have not forgotten the Big Party this evening at 9pm, if Headmistress allows, I would like to wear my long Pink dress with matching gloves and shoes, let's hope I dont trip up on the sheer length of it!

Camilla.x

ARE YOU BEING SERVED

I have always fancied a little Antiquarian Book Shop, with a snug tea-room alongside. Our village does not have a book shop, but then I suppose many order from the Internet now, or go to the larger towns for their purchases.

I remember watching the film 84 Charing Cross Road, which was focused on the famous book shop in the early 1950's in London. There was something nostalgic I felt about this film, shops that had a "tinkling" bell that would ring as you entered, the atmosphere would be a little dusty, and large wooden ladders would be placed against the shelves so that one could reach the top.

Years ago the Assistants seemed to have more time for you, they were polite, nowadays I have noticed that the people serving you are quite disinterested, and not always helpful. I long for a smile or a cheery wave, even the American twang, "Have A Nice Day"!

A Tea-Room - White linen tablecloths, with the lightest of Pale Pink Napkins, and Rosebud China. Finger sandwiches with a choice of fillings, Scones, dripped with Jam and Clotted Cream. A selection of Dainty Cakes on a tiered cake-stand.

On the subject of Consumers, here is a little ditty, taken from the Oxford Book of American Light Verse.

The grocer sells me addled eggs, the tailor

sells me shoddy,

I'm only a consumer, and I am not anybody.

The cobbler pegs me paper sales, the

dairyman short-weights me,

I'm only a consumer, and most everybody

hates me.

There's turnip in my pumpkin pie and

ashes in the pepper,

The world's my lazaretto, and I'm

nothing but a leper;

So lay me in my lonely grave and tread

the turf down flatter,

I'm only a consumer and it does'nt really

matter.

This is by no way any offence to our Darling Frances, from reading her diary's, I know that SHE is a most courteous, and polite person. No offence to Iota either, I just came across the poem the other day when looking through some old books of mine.

Did you know that there are three kinds of Tea-time in Britain, Afternoon Tea, Cream Tea, and High Tea. Well that has given me a thought, will go and put the kettle on now, I am going to call it my late evening cuppa!

Camilla.x

THANK YOU WESTERWITCH & HAPPYSNAPER

Today I was able to get in to the new Purplecoo, feels quite strange still, but I notice there are some lovely new additions, quite exciting.

Was the Calender I wonder just for fun, or will it eventually take off, I did think it would be a very good idea for Charity, but then I'm sure it will be a lot of hard work for Westerwitch to get this going, and she has already been up to her eyes in being so wonderful with the new site and everything.

This morning I received a telephone call to say that I could collect my tickets for the holiday that my husband had arranged with the free tickets he had been awarded. I put the phone down in the end, after realising that this was "cold-calling". I just wish they did not waste people's time in these sort of things, we often get people ringing up to say have we got 10 minutes of our time to do survey, how do they get the number.

My daughter and I were delighted today in receiving the good news that my grandson would be able to be re-instated into his old school, the same as his sister's. My daughter had moved to Yorkshire two years ago but then came back because she was homesick. She could not get him into the original school that he was in before, so he had to go to another school ten miles away, and while he has been there he has been bullied quite a lot. Today after an appeal, my daughter was told the good news that my grandson had now had a place in the school he was in originally, so we wept a few tears of delight today.

Camilla.x

FIVE MOOD BOOSTERS

Grouse has tagged me, so as promised my five Mood Boosters.

Someone once told me, "You are so straight-laced", well the only lace I know is what's attached to my Petticoat.

HAPPINESS

I am never more happy than when I am walking with my dogs, no matter what the weather, if I am feeling a little down in the dumps this is a great tonic for me. In times of sadness they are always there for me, bright-eyed, and waggy-tailed. Animals I believe are so theraputic to my well being, and I am simply MAD about them. My adorable two grandchildren, who accept my dizzy eccentric behaviour, and just love me for who I am in a unconditional way.

BEING SOCIABLE

I loathe bad manners, people who do not have the courtesy to say thank you, that they are so wrapped up snugly in their own little world, it causes them to have a "tunnel-vision". People who judge others, ie., labelling, one cannot judge a book by it's cover. So for this reason it is important for me in my everyday life to say "Hello", "How are you", or even "Good Morning", or "Good Evening", I genuinly am concerned for others, and it fills my heart with a sense of warmth to be sociable, and gives me great pleasure.

PASSION

I have a tendency to be a tad "old fashioned", I have a great passion for Costume Drama and The Theatre. Here I have listed some of my favourite Classic Moments of Drama.

Sense & Sensibility

Vanity Fair

Pride & Predjudice

Emma

Wives & Daughters

Mansfield Park

Other films, Some Like It Hot. On Golden Pond, Breakfast At Tiffany's

Forest Gump, Educating Rita.

A deep interest in Literature, mainly Historical Fiction, I have a never-ending fascination with the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of writer's, artists, who were quintessentially English yet universally fascinating manifestations of literary and artistic culture in the 1930's, their relationships and their influence, which continues to resonate to this day.

MUSIC AND ART

If music be the spice of life- then it would have to be Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach. If I am sitting alone at home and need cheering up I just put them on, and feel much brighter. I enjoy a mixed bag of music, Enya, Guns & Roses, Michael Buble, Glen Miller are some. I enjoy Art, cannot imagine a bare wall, my rooms are stuffed with them. I like nothing better than to go with a friend to visit a Gallery, cheers me up no end.

WRITING

The list would not be complete without this, I used to have a wonderful English teacher, Mr Edwards, a tall willowy chap with spectacles, and a magnificent educator. English homework - could'nt get enough of it, my compositions, essays would bulge in my enthusiasm for it. Some short stories and poems I have been thankful to have had published, but mainly many of them quite some time ago now, mainly in magazines. I dream of the day that I would be successful in having a book of poems published, ah, that truly would be the icing on the cake, but at least by way of writing it helps me to unwind.

Poets: Sir Philip Sydney, Thomas Campion, William Shakespeare, John Keats.

The Painting is by Charles Burton Barber, and is called - "SUSPENSE"

I have put here my poem which sums me up, told you I was passionately eccentric.!

Passion

I am passionate, puritans scold me

for running over breathlessly

of life's table of contents

and wishing and longing for everything.

They scold me for feasting

on joy and despair, together

with jugs of whipped cream

and wild strawberries

They object to me wearing

a diamond stud

for being sometimes girl

sometimes woman

and who knows what else!

Well that's my way

I'm hungry, I'm thirsty

I rush through the world like

A living sound

I refuse to walk slowly, to crawl

I'm passionate, I gulp things down

I fly,

and I'm proud that on my

small lapel,

occasionally, a decoration gliters,

call it rapture that golden rosette.

Camilla.x

HOW TO - HAVE FEELINGS

This morning I drove to my friends house to check that the cat was alright, and to leave her a bowl of food and water. This I do twice a day, morning and evening while my friend is visiting her family in Spain. I am usually greeted by several Shrews (Dead) I may add, in the hallway, for Flopsy Bunnie has a liking for them. As I was leaving the house I thought that it had been several days that I had seen Mrs Green's cat old Fudgy, who sometimes appears when I come to the house. Fudgy is not allowed in his owner's home I presume, Mrs Green has two Alsations. Why on earth do people own animals if they canot be bothered to look after them, stroke them, feed them, keep them in on a cold winter's night.

I remembered my friend had given instructions for the Gardener to come and mow the lawn while she was away. Could it be that Fudgy had slipped into the garage where gardening tools were kept, and Gardener had inadvertantly locked her in there by mistake, if indeed the cat had wandered in. The spare garage key luckily was on the kitchen work-surface, as I unlocked the garage door I was met by a wailing cat who had come running down the step-ladder from the rafters, he had been in there since Saturday morning apparantly, as that is when the Gardener had been last to mow the lawn, after I rang him. I told him to please check the garage in future to make sure old Fudgy is not in there.

This afternoon I decided to stop off at the local grocery store, I had only intended to buy a few items, but as I walked around the counters the list that I had made up beforehand had somewhat got longer. Going to the checkout I was served by a young lady who obviously did not see any reason to smile, and said to me, "I am going to put all your items in ONE plastic bag". Er - um, sorry, if I know plastic bags the sheer weight of anything inside causes them to split open usually halfway out the shop. I absolutely loathe plastic bags, when will the day come when they do away with them and issue nice strong ones. They are alright for light fashion items, do not have a problem with those. "Er, have you a cardboard box"? - "No, we dont, I'm sure you'll manage". Excuse me, but I am not paying a fortune by my way of custom, the shop would stop trading if it was not for us customers.

I saw a Blackbird gathering up bits of twigs today, she flew into our hedge, thought that nesting had finished now. Luckily I have not had the hedge clipped yet, when is a good time for this to be done I wonder.

I read that apparantly everyone would be a lot happier if they did'nt have feelings. A person can endure incredible physical hardship and be none the worse for it, but the very same person can be almost destroyed by a casual comment that hurts their feelings.

Hope you like the picture, cat is saying - "Just a minute Guv, that Mousie dinner is mine"!

Thank you to Dear Westerwitch, and to everyone else who left me messages on the concern of my husband. He is resting comfortably at home, but can do no tasks and is still very weak and tired. He is awaiting more blood results so will know more later next week hopefully. I send my deepest sympathy to our Dear Muddie on her uncle, and so too to our Dear Brownmouse who has a bereavment in her family. Sending sympathy to Blossom's daughter who sadly lost her beloved dog Charlie just recently.

Camilla.x